There is a growing need in many technical fields to form smaller antenna elements. One technique often employed in antenna design is to embed an inductor within the antenna to add electrical length to an otherwise size-reduced antenna, making the antenna behave as if it were longer. This technique is often employed in standard CB-type antennas to provide length reduction and impedance matching. Conventional helical antennas typically utilize helix diameters that are a significant fraction of a wavelength. However, such antennas generally are too large in diameter to allow further compression. Thus, there is a need for an antenna comprising a helically formed slow-wave conductor element that can be further compressed into a selected pattern, such as a stochastic or spiral motif.